Conferences have long been vital hubs for professional networking, idea exchange, and career development. In recent years, the landscape of professional development has undergone a significant transformation, breaking down geographical barriers, and opening up unprecedented opportunities for educators. New Jersey-based teachers now have the ability to participate in events not just within the state, but across the country and around the world.

This past December, more than 20 Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE) staff and faculty members gathered at the New Brunswick campus and walked to Elijah’s Promise, a community soup kitchen, to volunteer. They cooked, shredded turkey, prepared chili and worked side by side for hours. By the end of the day, the GSE team prepared more than 12,000 servings for their community.

A recent social media discussion underscored the need to empower educators—particularly those new to the profession—with practical tools to prevent and address harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) in schools, which works against emotional safety for students.

Bullying prevention is often discussed in terms of policies, consequences, and interventions, but at its heart, it is deeply human. In our recent X chat on #SafeSchools and #TeacherEd, aspiring and current educators reflected on how kindness can serve as a powerful antidote to bullying by fostering empathy, connection, and trust. Their responses reveal that safe schools are not built overnight or through one-time initiatives, but through consistent, intentional acts that shape classroom culture and community norms.

When Rutgers Alternate Route interviewed Herrmann late last year, she had just received her teaching certificate, completed her preservice training and accepted a job teaching math. We recently caught up with her to check in on how she’s developed as an educator over her first semester.